Just a Little too Late
by phoebe.a
Summary: What happens when you’re too late? Too late to change the past, too late to reverse your actions, too late to find love? What is there to give, when there’s nothing left to give? Neji x Tenten
1. Love Bug

**Just a Little too Late**

—_What happens when you're too late? Too late to change the past, too late to reverse your actions, too late to find love. What is there to give, when there's nothing left to give? (Neji x Tenten)—_

The sun was out, and the village was at a hubbub while she sat in a vacant training field by her lonesome. She hummed a melodic tune as she sharpened and polished her array of weapons. She sat there, content and enthused about her rare, but still feasible victory against the stoic, Hyuuga Neji.

Tenten then ran a calloused finger against a dull scratch on her oldest kunai. She smiled gently at the memory of her last combo move which captured her win against the Hyuuga. Not long after, Neji had walked away, quietly. He did not deny his defeat nor did he accept it. Instead, he stared long and hard at his female teammate and gave her a fraction of a nod which in itself was a congratulation or a sort of acknowledgement.

"I'm going to celebrate." Tenten noted to herself. "I deserve it after all."

Once she finished putting all of her artillery back into her scrolls, she decided to walk to the nearby Ichiraku's. Or maybe she would go for Korean Barbecue? She was still indecisive as to where she wanted to eat when she made her way to the main street leading to the heart of the village. She didn't bother looking for someone to go with her since she didn't really have any close girlfriends to go with. And she didn't feel like listening to babbling while she ate.

Training with Neji took too much of her time and missions were always the alternate option. It was mainly because she was living alone and needed the money. Tenten knew that everyone knew her as either "the girl without a last name" or "Neji Hyuuga's teammate". But, she didn't let that bother her. She was too much of an optimist to let it. Some would think that if she wasn't so busy, it might have been a lonely life for her, but since it was—busy, that is—she simply didn't have the time to think about being alone at all.

"Hey, Tenten, where are you going?" Lee appeared from behind the brush and slowed down his jog to match Tenten's gait.

"Oh, hi Lee," Tenten replied. "Well, I'm thinking of going out for lunch today. Do you want to come with?"

"That is very gracious of you, Tenten, to even think of inviting me, but alas I have a lunch date with the beautiful, Sakura!" Lee announced as he pumped a lanky arm into the air.

"So, she finally said yes, huh?"

"I would like to think so, but she is bringing her friend along." Lee admitted with a sigh.

"That's okay Lee, its progress at least." Tenten placed a comforting hand on her teammate's back. "She won't be able to resist your charms."

"Thanks, Tenten." Lee smiled his million-watt smile and scurried away. "I must be off, then!"

Tenten watched her jumpsuit-clad teammate sprint with a lift in his steps. She gave another guileless grin. These little moments between her teammates gave her the energy to continue. It gave her the reason to wake up in the morning. She sighed happily and continued on her way. Once she was in town, she decided to go to Ichiraku's since it would make it look less conspicuous that she was by herself. She took her seat and ordered the cheapest meal on the menu. Her lack of missions this month made it hard to buy anything more extravagant.

"Thanks Ayame-san." Tenten voiced when the owner's daughter placed a large bowl in front of her.

"Do you want anything else, Tenten-chan?" Ayame asked, "Maybe some tea?"

"Just water, please." Tenten broke apart her wooden chopsticks.

"Coming right up!" that said, Ayame left to the backroom to get a cup.

The weapons' master took a mouth of the ramen and got lost in thought. She had to start planning what she was going to do next, career-wise, anyways. Should she take that mission to Water Country? Or maybe she could go solo training in the mountains. But, nevertheless, she needed the money from the missions. She clearly didn't have time to dawdle around in the mountains.

She was so into her thoughts that she didn't even notice when Ayame got back, placed the cup of water on the counter in front of her, and left.

'_I need money.'_ Tenten thought glumly._ 'I need a real mission; I need to pay this month's rent somehow.'_

Tenten ate with the speed and accuracy of a ninja. She was too lost in her thoughts to taste the ramen. Before long, her bowl was empty, bereft of any leftovers. She was awfully hungry after all.

"No, I have to enjoy this day. I said I was going to celebrate and that's what I'm doing." She told herself firmly. "Suck it up Tenten: don't start feeling sorry for yourself. You just beat Hyuuga Neji."

"What did you beat Neji-san at?" Ayame asked from her spot on the front counter.

"Just our usual sparing," Tenten answered.

"Oh, how is Neji-san by the way?" The older woman questioned, a dreamy look glazing her eyes.

"He's okay, I guess."

"I haven't seen him in awhile," Ayame stated and smiled pointedly at her only customer. "You should take him here sometime so I can see him again."

"Uh-huh, sure," Tenten interjected. "Um, Ayame-san, I gotta go. I'll see you next time, then."

"Okay, I'll see you then, Tenten-chan. Don't forget to bring your teammates next time!" Ayame started babbling when Tenten walked away.

One thing she couldn't tolerate were fan girls, especially fan girls of her teammates. It made her feel awkward when anonymous females would ask her questions about Neji and Lee. She didn't know how to answer some of their more personal questions; such as: _"Do you think that Neji/Lee is sexy?"_

Sometimes the questions would get so creepy that she usually tried to get away from a fan girl as soon as she felt a whiff of weird. It might be contagious, after all.

XXXX

It was time to get home to her apartment. Tenten hated the cramped, solitary space, but she didn't really mind it all too much since she was usually out on missions; she usually spent more time out of her suite than in it anyway. She decided to walk home and take the long way instead of cruising along the rooftops like most ninjas. What Tenten needed was a change in routine so she decided to look around the shopping district of the town. Maybe something will catch her eye. Maybe it'd be cheap. Maybe she just didn't want to go home and talk to herself for the rest of the day.

Tenten wasn't a big fan of dressing up, but sometimes she did have a desire to look good. Not necessarily for someone, but for herself. Sometimes, being a ninja and growing up in a mostly-male profession made her feel like one. There have been times when she wanted to let her hair down and wear a dress, just to get in touch with her inner woman. That was the main reason why she refused to cut her hair, no matter how much easier it would be for her had it been short.

Tenten had a particular dress she wanted for herself. It wasn't puffy or girly at all. It had a sharp-cut, edgy look to it which suited her. She wanted to try it on. She wanted to take it home afterwards. But, instead of walking into the store which held it, she chose to walk pass it without looking at the front window where it had been displayed for the last two months, taunting her to buy it.

'_You get points for that,'_ she told herself. _'Strong willpower is a sign of maturity as a ninja.'_

"Crap, I'm starting to sound like Lee." She chided herself.

Suddenly, she didn't feel like shopping anymore. The lack of fortune and practicality wore down her whimsy. So, Tenten turned around and beat a hasty retreat home, lest she change her mind again.

She jogged to the apartment gates where she found Neji waiting for her.

"Oh, Neji, were you waiting long?" Tenten said, surprised that he was there. "Is there something wrong?"

Neji straightened at the sound of her voice and stayed where he stood. Tenten had to make her way to him. It had always been that way. She was the giver, and he, the receiver.

"Tenten," He bobbed his head once in greeting. "We're going to train."

"But, we just did that. I whooped your butt." She replied in disbelief.

"I didn't mean right now. I meant that we're going on a training trip. Gai-sensei and Lee are on their way out tonight, but we're going to be pulling out tomorrow."

"Oh, okay. That's fine then."

"Early tomorrow," he added as an afterthought.

He shuffled his feet in discomfort. He stared at the woman in front of him. He tried to act cool.

"Uh-huh," was Tenten's intelligible response.

"That's it." Neji uttered. "I'll see you then. I'll pick you up."

"Okay, bye, Neji."

"Bye, Tenten."

The two departed ways.

XXXX

Neji walked home feeling like a fool—even worst, a short-sighted fool.

The day had started out as it usually did. The sun was out, he called Tenten to come train, and she did. It wasn't until about the middle of their sparing match that he realize that Tenten looked different.

He had just realized that she wasn't a flat-chested girl who ran around with pointy things anymore. She was a curvy, well-proportioned woman with deadly weapons and a penchant for accuracy. It took him by surprise. He was sure that she still dressed the same. She still called him a jerk for ignoring her. She still beat him on the head if he acted too aloof and his superiority complex acted up. But today, it was like he was seeing her for the first time. Where was his Tenten, the girl that looked like a boy except for the hair in twin buns? Where was the rowdy weapons mistress that he had trained with for all these years? And why the hell did this attractive, distracting woman take her place?

It had taken all of his willpower not to stare at her. It had taken all of his focus not to think about her as anything but platonically. Neji, being the usual ego-centric male he was, hadn't noticed that his teammate and sparring partner was, in fact, a girl and a girl that he would think was cute.

He could still remember her last combo move. The same move which had him mesmerized as Tenten kicked his sorry ass to kingdom come. It was her face, the expression on it: the determination, the passion, the outright ferocity of it that captivated him. It was gorgeous. It was beautiful.

Hyuuga Neji had a crush, a really big one—a mountainous one, with Tenten no less. Tenten, the same girl who had seen him bare-chested without swooning; the same Tenten who had been in front of him for years, a little over a decade. This was twisted, bizarre. Hyuuga Neji did not fall for cute weapons specialists. He did not have infatuations with bun-haired women. And most specifically, he does not, and will not, admit his growing love for brown-eyes beauties with legs the length of Bo staffs. That is, unless Tenten admits that she loves him first.

'_Yes,'_ Neji thought. _'I'll just get her to fall in love with me first. If she says it first, then it won't matter if I say it.'_

Neji, feeling smug at his genius plot, strode confidently home. Tomorrow is still a long ways away, he thought gleefully. He still had time to fine-tune his plan for making Tenten fall in love with him.

XXXX

Tenten sat on the solitary chair in her makeshift kitchen/living area. It was sorry piece of a wooden thing. She had the rest of the afternoon off. It was a rare and unwanted occasion.

"What should I do now?" Tenten asked no one in particular.

There was only silence. Tenten rocked her chair as far back as she could without falling backwards. Once finished with the delicate task, she stared angrily at the clock above her second-hand table. What? Two minutes? It's only been two freaking minutes?

Time moved at a snail's pace as she decided to run back and forth the narrow space between her bedroom and the kitchen, all the while hoping that it would be morning so that she could start her training session with Neji. It certainly had nothing to do with her tiny, miniscule fear of being alone. Tenten was determined to surpass her boredom. It was then that an idea formed. She, Tenten, would make lunch for tomorrow's excursion. She knew that Neji and Lee weren't fans of her cooking after she made them Valentines chocolate last year. How was she supposed to know that wasabi wasn't a good flavour? Ino had told her that any flavour would have been better than coconut. Well, she would do better this time, she would follow a recipe to a tee, and she will not mess this up.

"Now, where's that recipe that Sakura gave me?" Tenten went into her sad excuse of a kitchen and started going through her pantry and cupboards for ingredients.

That afternoon, she worked hard and followed Sakura's recipe perfectly. The pink-haired health buff gave her a recipe for vegetable soup. Step by step Tenten followed it; although, she did have to run out a few times to get some of the more unusual ingredients.

"What the heck are wolfberries and salvia?" Tenten wondered as she deposited the said ingredients into the mix. "There's so much stuff in here, it must taste very good."

Tenten stirred and stirred and stirred. A strange scent wafted up and filled the house. Since Tenten wasn't that familiar with excellent culinary dishes, she decided that the strange scent was only different because she never cooked anything this good.

A/N:

This story idea came to me a while ago. I thought that I should give it a shot, since it is NejixTenten after all. But, just to warn you, don't be fooled by the comedic beginning, it really is a drama. But, I will assure you that all will end well. I don't like sad endings... Please review if you like it. If you don't--like it that is--please review also to tell me what you didn't like about it.


	2. Toxic Love

XXXX

The next day, well before dawn, Neji arrived at Tenten's cozy home. She had opened the door for him wearing her pyjamas.

"Why are you here so early." She asked him. "It's three in the morning, Neji."

"I woke up early." He replied.

While in truth, the young Hyuga male did not sleep at all. Instead, he was forced to replay his match against Tenten. He had the whole night to think of a way to get her to fall in love with him. And when midnight came, he got ready for their training trip. It didn't take him that long, so, Neji had decided to walk around Konoha. Maybe if he walked around for a bit, inspiration would come to him. But, three hours later, the best plan that he had come up with was to be extra nice to her. It was a lame move, but he couldn't offer anything romantic. He wasn't anything like Lee or Naruto, who shouted their love from the rooftops. He was Neji Hyuga, who most people often considered a cold, sarcastic jerk. Well, that was it: Neji Hyuga would be the most charming ninja in Konoha. He was going to show Tenten how nice he could be. And how lucky she would be if she'd only say that she'd love him forever.

As he entered Tenten's home for the millionth time since he'd known her, he realized how small it was. Usually, he would automatically mention the fact, but since he was trying to win Tenten's affections, he told her otherwise.

"What a nice place you have, Tenten, it's really..." '_Small!'_ His mind shouted. "...pretty." he finished lamely.

"Thanks, Neji, I think." Tenten wasn't sure if the Hyuga Neji was being his usual sarcastic self or not.

"I like the kunai wallpaper, too, it suits you." He added.

Tenten, never having heard a single compliment from Neji's lips before, was befuddled. She didn't know what to think.

"Are you alright, Neji?" she asked him. "Do you want to lie down for a few minutes?"

Neji, not being able to understand her confusion, decided to up his anti.

"I like your couch," he stated sagely as he looked at the shabby sofa. "The pattern is very elegant." He said referring to the hideous white elephant print.

"Lee bought me the couch for my birthday, you're the one who said that it was the ugliest thing you've set your eyes on." Tenten recalled.

"I changed my mind." He replied whilst looking around at the unpainted, wooden ornaments. "I like your furniture."

Tenten, who was very worried for her teammate, brought a hand to his head. Normally, she wouldn't even dare. But, this seemed to be a life or death situation.

"Neji, I think you should sit down for a bit." She said to him.

"I'm fine, Tenten," he said right back to her. "You look very pretty from this angle."

That was the statement that broke the camel's back. Tenten flicked her messy braids back and pulled up the sleeves of her over-sized shirt to her elbow.

Tenten then proceeded to check Neji's forehead for a fever, or a contusion and bump. Why was Neji complimenting her ugly furnishings and calling her pretty? There has to be something wrong with him.

"Here, I'll get you some soup. It was supposed to be our lunch for the trip, but I'm not going anywhere with you like this."

It was Neji's turn to be out rightly baffled. Tenten had made him soup? She cared enough for him to make him food! Yes, his plan was working! At this rate, Tenten was going to confess her love for him in no time at all.

"I'd love some soup." He told her.

This was the first time in over ten years of knowing Neji that Tenten had heard him say the word love.

"Love?" she uttered, shocked.

"What about love?" Neji asked her. _'Yes, she's going to say she loves me!'_ he thought to himself.

"Did you just say that you love soup?"

"Yes," he answered. _'Now say that you love me...'_ "Is there something wrong with that?"

"No," Tenten replied. "I'll be back." '_Before my brain blows up!'_

Tenten retreated to her cramped kitchen and fetched a bowl from her cupboard. She turned on the stove to heat up the pot that contained the soup. Less than three minutes later, a heavy, thick, pungent odour filled the home. When the concoction was nice and hot, she poured some into the bowl for Neji.

Neji scented the smell, but thought it was a dead rat or something in the walls, but when Tenten brought out her 'soup' and realized that the smell was coming from the mixture, he started to panic.

"Here you go, Neji. I made it myself. And I followed Sakura's recipe perfectly. It's very high class, it's probably something that you're used to eating at the compound." She said with pride.

Unable to dampen her spirit, Neji was able to utter a few choice words to spare her from disappointment.

"It smells good." He said as he silently prayed that he wouldn't die from it.

"Here, open up!" Tenten commanded as Neji took the first spoonful of soup from the true _Hell's Kitchen_.

He gagged before swallowing.

"What's wrong, does it taste that bad?" Tenten's lips quirked down. "Let me taste it."

"No!" Neji replied. "I love it! I really like it. I want it all to myself!"

That said, he held his breath and swallowed as much of the crude-tasting substance. It was bitter and the texture was that of raw octopus tentacles.

"I'll just get some for myself, then."

Neji downed the rest of the bowl quickly and followed Tenten to the kitchen across the room.

"Tenten, can I have some more?" He enquired, as he took hold of the bowl-full of soup in her hands. "Thanks!"

He immediately gobbled down bowl after bowl of soup, debilitating Tenten's chances of eating a drop of the odious concoction herself. Tenten, on the other hand, was surprised for the umpteenth time in the last hour. She hadn't expected Neji to love her soup. Tenten watched him eat with great amazement. She kept filling up his bowl until there was nothing left in the pot.

"More," he gasped, feeling his abdomen cramp up. "I want more."

"Sorry, Neji, there's no more." Tenten said apologetic.

"That's okay." He stood up on wobbly legs. "It was really good soup, Tenten."

"Thank you, Neji," she uttered. "I only wish that I had tasted it."

"Sorry," he replied weakly.

Tenten watched as Neji turned an unhealthy colour. She asked him if he was feeling well. Neji answered that he felt a little sick.

"It's probably because you ate so fast."

"Yeah, probably." Neji agreed, feeling the "soup" burn through his stomach wall.

He excused himself and threw up in her washroom. His stomach wouldn't calm, it kept rolling over and folding in itself. He was starting to have regrets. It came to the point that he had to ask Tenten if they could postpone their training trip. As he was making face time with the toilet, Tenten held back his long hair to keep it off his face. She then braided it.

Maybe I should call Sakura; she'd know what to do. It was her soup recipe. Maybe you were allergic to something in it.

'_Damn, I should have told her I was allergic.'_ Neji thought grimly.

Once his stomach was emptied of the hazardous concoction, Tenten helped Neji to her bed. She laid him down upon it and brought her blanket up to his chin.

"There," she said. "Get some rest. I'll get a bucket if you feel sick."

XXXX

Neji fell fast asleep for the rest of the day. Neji could endure crazy spider-esque ninjas running golden arrows through his abdomen, but he was unable to take Tenten's cooking. It was pitiful: completely pathetic. When he woke up again it was dark outside, indicating that it was late at night. He closed his eyes and attempted to fall back into sleep. He tried for two hours before he finally gave up.

Neji couldn't sleep that night. Not with Tenten sleeping in the next room snoring like a foghorn. He tossed and turned as his stomach ached. He tried to find sleep, but whenever he closed his eyes Tenten would come to mind. Neji finally reached his limit and got up off the bed. He tip-toed his way to the living room where Tenten laid on her stomach, her head in an odd angle. Her nose was pushed against her bicep as another deep snore escaped from her. Neji squatted down beside her sleeping form and brushed her bangs away from her face. Her beauty still took the Hyuga by surprise. How could he have been so blind? How could he let Lee train with her? How could he have let another man touch her?

Neji sighed deeply, smiling to himself as he watched his childhood friend sleep. He tried to think back to the old training days with Team Gai. What if Tenten had liked him then? What if he had lost his chance? He remembered that there was a time that Tenten had asked him to walk her home and he blatantly refused because he didn't feel like taking the long way home. Oh how he wished that he could turn back time and change it. Heck, if Tenten had asked him to eat another tub-full of her horrendous soup, he wasn't sure if he'd refuse her.

Tenten turned to lie on her side. Her hair was an impossible mess. She wrinkled her nose and rubbed her hand over it until it turned pink.

"Neji..." she whispered, barely audible.

Neji held his breath. Could it be that she was having romantic dreams about him? He was sure. His placid smile turned to a smirk of arrogance. Of course, Tenten was dreaming of him.

"Why are you watching me?" Tenten turned again to hug a couch cushion. "Go back to sleep."

In less than a minute, Tenten was once again fast asleep, leaving a baffled Neji to fend for himself. Neji turned a near-purple hue in embarrassment at getting caught. But, it didn't seem like Tenten really cared that he was watching her sleep. She didn't blush or giggle, like any other girl probably would, instead she blew him off. Neji Hyuga had finally met his match. He had found his mate. He had gone from a sudden crush to full blown head-over-heels-love in less than twenty-four hours. But, it was far from love at first sight, he realized.

He'd always depended on Tenten. He depended on her to come to him when he demanded that they train together. He needed her at his side when fighting the bad guys. He had wanted her to be there when he had his Jounin Exam. Now, he wanted just a little bit more from her. He wanted her, needed her, to love him.

Neji felt that had no choice left. He wasn't sure that he would be able to get over the sometimes-moody brunette. If she rejected him, there'd be nothing left of him. Nothing left of the man that he was.

"Tenten, do you think that we could—" he started.

"You're a little too late for that, Neji." Tenten stated before sitting up to face him. She knew what he was asking.

Tenten hadn't fallen asleep again, not after her initial wakening, she watched Neji from beneath her long lashes. It was hard to believe that she had loved the man for so long. Too long, in fact, that she was able to become numb to it. She was able to adapt and get over him. It had taken the better part of a decade, but she could honestly say that she didn't love him anymore. She had given up on him a long time ago. He was too late.

A pained Neji left her apartment that night, embarrassed with his ego flattened. He limped home, by himself. Tenten did not run after him this time.

Tenten watched him leave. She felt a sense of retribution to her pain; for all the times she had hoped that he would show up and sweep her off her feet. For all the times that she cried herself to sleep because he didn't notice her. Adolescent love made a fool of her. Tenten refused to fall for it a second time. Nevertheless, it was a hollow victory, because she still loved Neji as a friend and teammate. Her romantic feelings toward him may be gone, but it wasn't her place to cause him pain.

"Why couldn't you have seen me before?" Tenten asked the pitch darkness. "Why do you choose to love me when it's too late? I have nothing left to give you."

XXXX

A/N:

I apologize for the long wait. But, life distracted me from writing. Thank you to those who reviewed, please give me more feedback. I enjoy reading your comments and tips. It also helps me how I should continue the story. Again, thanks again to those who took the time to read my work.


	3. Redemption

XXXX

Neji felt like he'd been had. He felt that he wasn't given a fair chance. How did Tenten know that he was going to ask her out? How could she interrupt him? Why didn't she let him finish his question? She was probably full of herself. That's the only reason that she'd even think that he, Neji Hyuuga, would ask her out. He wasn't going to ask her out. He was only going to tell her that he was too busy to train in the mountains after all. He was going to ask if he could take a rain-check on their pending training trip. How dare she assume that he was going to ask her out?

Still, Hyuga Neji fell onto his bed in the wee hours of the morning with a hard thump. He didn't shed tears for Tenten or for himself. Instead, he shed them for the time he lost, the time he couldn't reverse. And, above all, he shed them for love.

XXXX

The next few weeks passed without the two meeting. Neji, for once, used his powers for his own gain. He used them to avoid Tenten. Meanwhile, Lee and Gai were starting to suspect that there was a growing rift between the two teammates. Lee found himself training more and more with Tenten, as Gai was usually pitted against a moody, violent Hyuuga.

It went on much to this effect until Lee finally broke. One day after an arduous training session, Lee finally asked the dreaded question after Tenten asked him to meet her at the same grounds tomorrow.

"Why don't you ask Neji?" He supplied. "You've been spending so much of your time with me, you are now able to read my movements. I won't be a challenge to you for much longer if we keep training together."

"Is that no, then?" Tenten replied. "That's fine; I was going to ask someone else anyway."

"Tenten, why don't you train with Neji anymore? Did the two of you get into a fight?"

"No," Tenten confirmed. "We didn't fight."

"What is the reason, then?"

"I don't know. We've decided that it wasn't really doing us any good training together all the time. People were starting to talk and saying that we were a couple, and a bunch of irrelevant stuff like that." Tenten lied. "So, we decided to train separately for a while to get stronger on our own. So, if we should meet again I won't lose to him. Besides, when you're alone, it's easier to come up with a physically powerful technique."

"Oh, that is a brilliant plan, Tenten! I should introduce this notion to Gai-sensei immediately!"

"Go ahead, Lee." Tenten packed up the rest of her weapons and made her way home.

Before, all of Konoha knew her as Neji's girl, but now, she was her own self. She was Tenten, the girl with no known past, but a woman who was ready to face anything. Tenten relished the moments when she knew that she was finally rid of her feelings for Hyuuga Neji. Yet, on the flip side, her detachment from him left an empty, hollow part in her soul. Tenten was a shell of the person she used to be.

"That can easily be fixed," She told herself. "You just need to find another man that will occupy your time. It should be a lot easier since you're not going to be called to train with Neji at the drop of a hat."

Elsewhere, Gai fought against the Hyuuga Jounin and tried to keep his attacks at bay. He dodged attack after attack, unable to break the determined man's hits. Neji Hyuuga didn't get tired, nor did he ease on his assault on his former teacher.

"Neji, you might want to slow down a bit."

"No," the Hyuuga replied. "I don't."

Neji jumped and kicked his mentor and proceeded to pummel the green-clad Jounin. Gai kept up his defence until he found an opening in Neji's technique. Gai immediately exploited his advantage. He flipped back twice before running at the frustrated Hyuuga at full force. He dodged three of Neji's gentle-fist attacks and a wayward side-sweep before driving his fist into Neji's chest. Neji fell flat on his back, surprised. Gai hopped back on one foot with a grin.

When his shock wore off, Neji got back up and stood in his fight stance.

"Neji, I think that it's about time to take a break."

"I don't need a break."

"The young do not always know what is good for them, which is why it is up to the elder—the teachers—to tell them when they have had enough!" Gai replied sagely. "Neji, you've had enough. You're bleeding."

Neji looked down at his bloody knuckles, and bruised arms and legs.

"I hadn't noticed." He grumbled before sitting down onto the dirty ground where he stood.

Sweat ran down his back and he was beginning to feel the tender pain from his acquired bruises. Gai sat down beside his former pupil before speaking.

"So, what's been bothering you, Neji?" Gai asked.

Neji glared at his sensei. He shrugged before letting it all out.

"Tenten won't go out with me." He replied on a shaky exhale.

Gai couldn't hide his disappointment. "But, why won't she?"

"Isn't it obvious," Neji pointed out. "She doesn't like me."

"But, she's been in love with you for years!" Gai said in disbelief.

"Well, apparently, she isn't in love with me now." Neji didn't like to be reminded of his mistakes, so he silently got up and stalked away. "I have to go, excuse me, Gai-sensei."

XXXX

Neji all but ran home. Tenten's rejection was a huge blow to his ego, his male pride. And even more than the embarrassment and the pain was the fact that he couldn't see Tenten without remembering that she could never belong to him. That she never wanted to be with him.

How did it get so carried away? How could he have made such an obvious mistake? Why was he just realizing everything now?

"N-Neji, sorry to bother you, but Tenten's here. She said that she came to see you." Hinata said from outside Neji's door.

Tenten's arrival had taken the Hyuuga by surprise, he jump from his bed and started ripping off his shredded, sweaty workout garb. Neji ran to his closet in search for something to wear. He grabbed a stick of deodorant and applied it to his armpits before pulling on a white t-shirt and sweatpants. He took one last look in the mirror before checking his breath and running to meet Tenten.

When he saw her in the estate's main atrium waiting for him, he could barely hold back his glee. Just seeing her again after just over a month brought him such joy. This was how the twenty-six year old jounin knew that he was finally in love. But, to win her heart once more, he had to act cool.

"Tenten, I wasn't expecting you." He said nonchalantly. "What are you doing here?"

"I think we need to talk, Neji," Tenten replied. "Gai-sensei came to see me. He told me everything."

Neji froze. He knew Gai of all people couldn't keep a secret! How depressed must he have been to do such a thing. He might as well have told Naruto about his love-life!

"Okay," Neji agreed. "Let's go, then."

The two exited the gargantuan Hyuuga estate and walked to a less congested part of Konoha. Since the sun was setting, they decided to walk to the training grounds. Most genins in training would be leaving the grounds at this hour anyway. Once they had reached the wooden dummies, Neji decided to break the palpable silence.

"What do you want to talk about?" He questioned.

"Us," Tenten sat on the hard-packed ground and leaned against the badly beaten wooden pole.

Neji went down with her. "What about us?"

"The part that there is no _'us'_ and there can never be an _'us'_!" Tenten quipped.

This statement angered the dark-haired male. "Why? What's wrong with me? Why is the possibility of you ending up with me upset you so much?"

"Because," Tenten turned to look at him. "I've spent a decade getting over you and you didn't even realize it. I've spent ten years of my life loving a man that can't fall in love, especially with me. I wasted my time and effort and all I got to show for it was a pat on the back at the end of practice. And that isn't going to cut it for me anymore, Neji, it isn't enough anymore. I have nothing left to give you. I don't feel anything towards you anymore."

Neji bowed his head in disappointment. He knew that he didn't have any retort to her words.

"Then, what do you want from me, Tenten?" He asked once more.

"I want to be your friend, Neji." She said simply.

"How could you ask that of me when I've finally returned your feelings?" Neji stood up and turned away. "I admit that for someone with superior vision, the fact that I didn't see your feelings for me does make me look like a bastard. But, at least I'm saying that I made a mistake. I'm not denying it."

Tenten got up off the ground and swatted the dirt of her pant leg.

"I know that you're really trying here, Neji, but I have nothing left to give you. Can't you understand that? Do you want me to fake my love for you?" Tenten outrageously threw her arms in the air in expiration.

"NO," Neji growled. Then said softly. "I don't want that."

"Then what do you want?" she asked pointedly.

"I want a second chance." He stated.

"You've had more than your share of chances, Hyuuga Neji." She answered almost simultaneously.

"But—"

"I cried for you, Neji. I prayed that one day you would see me as something more than a sparring partner. I hoped every day of my teenage years that you'd show up at my doorstep and say that you loved me. I girlishly dreamt about our first kiss." Emotion welled up in the bun-haired weapons expert. "I waited and waited for you to come to me—for once. But it never happened."

Neji was speechless.

"If you want my love, it's too late, I've already given it to you. It's your own damn fault that it's gone now. You're the one who wasted it, squandered it for cheap!" Tenten smiled mockingly through her tears. "Now, Neji, this is all I have left for you. I have emptiness, numbness, and a cold shoulder. This is the absolute last time I am going to cry because of you! I can't take any more of it."

Neji hadn't realized the pain that he had inflicted on Tenten. He hadn't known that to love so unconditionally could hurt so much. While he was flying, soaring above the ranks, he had used Tenten as his crutch: as his support. Meanwhile, Tenten had no one to fall back on. He was too busy taking in all the glory, from his family and the rest of Konoha, to see that Tenten needed him just as much.

Neji rushed forward and held her fiercely. He kissed her forehead.

"Then give me anything you have left." He murmured into her hair. "Give me your emptiness, your numbness, and I'll even take your cold shoulder. Just, please Tenten, don't make me leave you."

Tenten sobbed and cried for the next couple hours. For the first time, Neji was there for her. For the first time, she had someone to lean on. And, for the first time, she was finally in his arms.

XXXX

When Tenten had enough strength to get back onto her own two feet, Neji walked her home. He didn't say a word to her. He didn't touch her, he didn't look at her.

"What's wrong?" She asked him.

"Nothing," He replied.

"You're acting different." She said. "I can't say how, yet, but you're different."

He had nothing to say to that. When they reached Tenten's door, Neji said his goodbye and left quickly.

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A/N:

I am glad that there are so many people that took a liking to this story. I know that the tone of this chapter is a lot different from the first two, but it will get better...I promise! Please review to tell me what you think of the change.


	4. Two Parts of a Whole

The weeks after that, Tenten didn't see the Hyuuga. She had expected him to come to her the day after the night of their "talk", but he didn't show. It came to the point that she started to worry. She finally brought herself to ask around to find out Neji's whereabouts. It was Hinata who finally told her that her cousin was on a mission with Naruto, Sai and Kakashi. She had asked the bright-eyed, younger woman if she knew how long Neji would be away. Hinata responded by saying that she didn't know, but expected it to be a long mission. Tenten thanked her and proceeded on her way to the Hokage's office.

In the hallway, she met Sakura going the same way.

"Hey, Tenten, whatcha doing here?"

"Tsunade-sama summoned me," she replied. "Hopefully, it's for a mission."

A medic nin then came running down the corridor.

"Sakura-san, please come quickly!" she exclaimed. "We need you at the OR immediately."

"Well, you heard her; I'll see you then, Tenten?" The pink-haired shinobi jogged away.

"See you," Tenten bowed before entering Tsunade's office.

Once inside, Tenten watched for a moment the aged Hokage behind her desk with piles of books and papers on either side of her; her expression worrisome as she bit her thumbnail. When Tsunade realized the weapon's mistress's presence, she bid her to come forward.

"Tenten, come in." She said before taking a rubber stamp and viciously pressing it onto an ink pan. She took one more glance at the contents of the text before stamping her seal and signature on the bottom of the document. "We just need to wait for Sakura to come, and then I'll start the brief on your next mission."

"Oh, but Tsunade-sama, Sakura-chan was just called to the OR." Tenten quipped.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, ma'am."

Just then Shizune burst into the room, in hysterics.

"Tsunade-sama, Sakura told me to call you right away, Naruto and the others came back from their mission, and they're—they need you down there!" Shizune stated.

"Tenten, this'll have to wait," the Hokage stood before running to the operating rooms.

Belatedly, Tenten remembered that Neji was with Naruto and the others for this mission. If they were hurt, then Neji could be hurt himself. Worry gnawed at the young woman. She rushed down after Tsunade and Shizune.

What if it was serious, what if Neji was killed? She couldn't bear the thought. As Tsunade disappeared through the double doors, Tenten slowed her sprint to a halt. She was scared, afraid of what she'd face on the other side. She could hear medics shouting orders to each other from beyond the doors. It sounded serious. What if Neji was dying? She thought as her blood pumped wildly through her body.

Tenten felt that she had no choice but to push through the doors. Once through, she was met with utter chaos. There were medics in white running and yelling, coagulating into a mass of bodies and equipment. In the far end corner of the room she spotted Neji atop a gurney, unconscious. In a matter of seconds, Tenten was at his side.

"Neji?" she whispered, timidly.

There was no response from him.

Upon closer inspection, Tenten realized that the unconscious male was attached to an IV drip and the whole right side of his body was neatly bandaged in medical gauze and tape. She spotted an area on Neji's chest where there blood had soaked through the bandage. As morphine dripped into his veins, Tenten was dumbfounded at this situation.

Never in all their time together had she seen Neji injured this greatly since he became a jounin. The said Hyuuga was paler than usual and a long thin gash was displayed on his bruised, purple-ish left cheek. This was the worst Tenten had seen her companion.

After minutes passed, Sai came to her side and told her of their frightful battle against two of the Akatsuki members. He told her how Neji had been victim to a sword wielded by a blue, fish-man. Sai even offered to draw the man's likeness so that Tenten could exact her revenge on him.

"We went against him before, as well as Itachi Uchiha." Tenten said.

"He had us trapped in water cells; Neji was the only one able to get out." Sai explained. "But, in the end, the he and Uchiha left mid battle. That probably saved our lives. Kakashi-senpai said that with Neji-san and Naruto's injuries, it was best that we returned right away."

"What's wrong with Naruto?" Tenten questioned.

"He went against Itachi Uchiha. Kakashi-senpai wasn't able to save him from the falling into the _Mangekyo Sharingan_. Tsunade-sama said it will take him longer than usual to heal."

"Will they both recover fully?"

"Naruto will because of the nine-tails. But, Sakura said that Neji might not be so fortunate. Tsunade is planning to tell him the prognosis when he's better. I know that since you're his girlfriend I shouldn't be telling you this, but, I thought that you should know." Sai affirmed seriously.

"I'm not his girlfriend." Tenten shivered, looking at Neji's bloody bandages. "I'm just an old teammate."

"Well, you should tell his girlfriend, then." Sai answered. "He wanted me to give this to her."

Sai held up a slender wooden box. It looked like an old cigarette case.

"He kept saying before he passed out to _'give this to her'_. I didn't know who he was talking about, but I assumed it was a girlfriend or something like that since he doesn't have a sister or a mother; and you're the only woman I've seen him with. Do you know who she is?"

"Yeah, I do. I'll take it to her." Tenten took the wooden box into her hands. "Thanks, Sai."

The ex-ANBU ROOT ninja bobbed his head once before leaving the OR.

"Neji, what have you done?" Tenten asked Neji's unconscious body.

She touched his forehead, and wiped his long bangs from his face. She watched him until he was taken to Sakura once more to get his bandages changed before being taken to the rehabilitation wing of the hospital.

Tenten stayed by his bedside until visiting hours were over. The hospital only allowed family to stay overnight. Hinata had visited earlier along with her sister and father, but was called to train with her former team.

As Tenten walked home, she felt numb. She kept true to her word, and did not cry a single tear for Neji. Instead, she focused on getting home to open Neji's box: the red-stained, cherry wood box that Sai had presented to her. Thirty minutes later, Tenten shut her bedroom door behind her. She changed into her pyjamas, brushed her teeth, and pinned up her hair in a badly done coiffure. She sat on the edge of her bed, trying to decide whether she wanted to open or not open the box.

After half an hour of debating, Tenten finally decided to open the box. She opened it and flipped its contents onto her bed. The small box contained pictures from their genin years. There was one picture of Team Gai with the four of them huddled together. Another photograph showed her and Neji standing side by side: her eyes lit up with youthful excitement, while his were filled with innate cockiness. The photo after that was of her smiling mindlessly into the camera, the sun beating down from above. She turned the picture over and found Neji's faded messy script on the back. It simply said four words: _My Best Friend, Tenten_.

Tenten then frantically turned all the other pictures on their back to see if they said something as well, but, as it turned out, the only one with writing on it was the picture of her. Could he have written it recently? No, the ink was faded and the aged condition of the photograph showed that it was evenly discoloured. Neji must have written it all those years ago. His writing had gotten better since then.

For the first time in a long time, Tenten was taken aback by Neji's actions. Maybe, he hadn't loved her, as she did him, but he liked her enough to call her his best friend. After all the years of her thinking that he was using her and taking all the glory, made her feel guilty. He didn't mean to do any of those things. It was her fault for not saying anything to him. If she had just confessed her feelings for him back then, she wouldn't have suffered for the last ten years. If she had pointedly told him how she felt about him taking up all of her time to train, she was sure that he would have stopped asking her to come with him. He always did give her a choice. She could have said no to him: it was her own decision to say yes.

Thinking back, Tenten realized what a failure of a friend she was to Neji. She had blamed her circumstance and shortcomings on him. He had enjoyed her company—he hadn't used her. It was true: she was Neji's girl, because she was his best friend. It was her own lovelorn bitterness that made her believe otherwise. Neji was nothing but a gentleman towards her; he had cared for her and was protective of her. Her adolescent unrequited love was the one who ruined their friendship in her eyes. Her own actions were what made her dislike the man she had loved. In the end, she was the one who had used him. She was the one who continued her friendship to him to keep him at her side. She was the selfish one.

XXXX

Neji woke up from his coma a week later. His chest felt heavy and he was really thirsty. His throat was too dry to speak. He gave a soft moan before trying to get up. It didn't work. He still laid flat on his back, unable to move. He tried to call for help, but only a pitiful gurgle came from his lips.

Neji managed to turn his head to the side and saw his uncle asleep on the uncomfortable, plastic chairs provided by the hospital. What was he doing here? His confusion only grew when his cousin, Hinata, emerged from the door beside his uncle.

"Father, I thought you'd like some food..." the timid Hyuuga trailed off when she caught Neji watching her. "Neji, you're awake!"

Before Neji could voice—or in this case, croak—his concerns, the female Hyuuga already left to tell one of the doctors of his conscious state. Neji sighed and winced when he caught a whiff of his breath. It was dreadful.

The whole right side of his body felt numb. His neck had a crick. It was the worst he'd ever felt before. Just then, Sakura came rushing through the door along with the Hokage. What could they been doing in his room, he thought. The last thing he remembered was feeling a sharp pain on his chest before passing out.

Tsunade was the first to move. She brought her hand to his forehead to check for a fever. When she didn't feel one, she proceeded to give her orders to Sakura. Sakura ran out of the room before Tsunade started pushing his bed down the hallway. The IV drip was guided by his cousin through the corridor and his respirator was being pushed by his uncle.

"Wha..." Neji tried to ask as he was speedily brought into the OR once more.

There, in the impeccably white room, Sakura waited and replaced the needle on the back of his hand with another. Neji immediately felt numbness crawl to the rest of his body. He tried to move his left arm and wiggle his toes, but they soon became frozen. Sakura counted slowly to thirty and her voice grew softer as Neji became panicked.

"Please," Neji said roughly, wanting to know what was going on.

Tsunade answered.

"Neji, we have to operate on you immediately. Most of your chakra portals have been severed, shredded actually. We have to operate on it right away." Tsunade answered.

Sakura immediately cut the bandages off his chest and proceeded to cut away the damaged skin around the wound. They had no choice but to do the operation while he was conscious, because when a chakra user is in a coma the chakra ways were harder to see. It was a very delicate situation. Sakura had only seen this type of operation once before.

"Pass me the scalpel." She instructed one of her attendants as she placed a surgical mask over her face and antiseptic gloves on her hands. "Get ready for suturing the vessels close."

"Yes, miss." One of the other medic ninjas answered.

The entire procedure was seven hours long. With Tsunade's guidance, the operation was a success. Sakura peeled off her mask.

Neji was kept conscious throughout the entire procedure using Tsunade's jutsu. At one point in the operation, the anaesthetics had lost effectiveness and Neji had screamed in pain. His heart rate had increased to dangerous levels and all feared for his life. Sakura had quickly given him another dose of morphine before finishing the procedure. Now, the Hyuuga male slept; exhausted.

Meanwhile, Tenten had waited behind the double doors of the operating room. She paced the floor for the umpteenth time before hearing Neji's screams. At one point she was about to barge in through the doors, but Hiashi had stopped her.

"We have to trust, Tsunade-sama." He had said.

"But, Neji might die!" Tenten retorted as Neji's anguished screams continued. "I need to be there!"

"What are you able to do for him there?" Hiashi replied harshly. "You have no medic experience. And he's still in pain because of you. You could kill him if you go in there now."

Tenten nodded silently. Hiashi was right. She could only cause Neji pain.

Neji's screams lasted only a few minutes more before ending in silence.

"Do you think he's..." Tenten gasped unable to finish her question.

"No, he's not." Hiashi said looking through the walls using his jutsu.

The two sat in the waiting room until Sakura came out through the doors with Tsunade in tow. Tenten rose first and ran to their side.

"Will he be okay?" she cried pitifully.

"It's hard to say," Tsunade replied. "Hiashi-san, I must speak with you privately."

"Of course, Hokage-sama." The Hyuuga bowed before leaving with the Hokage.

Sakura was left with a hysteric Tenten. She felt a swell of sadness for Neji's former teammate. The pain on the dark-eyed woman's face was flagrant. Tears tracked down her face. Sakura took the older woman by the hands and led her to her small office. Once inside, Sakura sat the distraught woman onto a comfortable chair.

"He's going to live," Sakura started; talking about Neji.

"But..." Tenten continued for her.

"But," Sakura repeated. "He might not be able to have the same use of his right arm."

"So, what are you trying to say?" Tenten had stopped crying, turning serious.

"Any excess strain on Neji's chakra pathways may kill him."

"What?" Tenten stood, incredulous. "That can't be!"

"But, it's still too early to tell." Sakura continued. "We have to let him heal first to see what will happen to him."

"Why are you telling me this?" Tenten stared at an empty space in front of her.

"Why are you here?" Sakura stared down the brown-eyed woman with her translucent green ones.

"I'm his teammate." Tenten shrugged.

"That's not the reason, and we both know that, Tenten. I can see these things." Sakura stood. "Tell you what, I'll give you one hour with him."

"What are you talking about," Tenten followed the pink-haired medic. "Why are you doing this, Sakura?"

"Because, I believe in true love." Sakura answered turning fully to her. "Also, I like meddling in other people's love life."

"Oh," Tenten blushed. "But, we're not...together."

"You should get to him then, how many years have you been in love with him, anyway?" Sakura announced. "Better get him to settle down soon, so he won't have any reason to leave Konoha for missions. He is nearly thirty, Tenten, past an average field ninja's life expectancy; even Yamato-sensei retired at our age. We should let the younger generation deal with the Akatsuki. They have the strength and youthfulness to do so."

Tenten, keeping silent, didn't know how to answer that. So, Sakura left her in Neji's room without another word.

Neji was asleep as the machine beside him beeped rhythmically. Tenten watched him silently. Her heart didn't skip, it didn't titter or speed up. All she felt was a sense of grief. If she lost him she wouldn't know what to do. But, did that translate to loving him?

The answer was: yes. Yes, it did.

Tenten thought that if there was anyone else who could make her feel like this, it would be Neji. He was the one person in the entire world to make her feel happy as much as he made her feel sad, angry and violent. Her heart didn't swoon nor did she think of him 24/7 but maybe it was because she was comfortable with him. Maybe true love meant that she knew him by heart; that there was nothing he could do that would make her heart ache permanently. Maybe true love was finding out that the person she thought was perfect beyond any other man, had his own flaws—his own imperfections. Maybe true love is when two people complement each other so much so that they can never work properly without the other.

Tenten parked her chair at Neji's bedside. She watched him for the rest of the hour and kissed his cheek before she left. She was wrong, yet again. She had thought that he was too late, when in fact, she was too early. Finding true love is never a mistake. It isn't a girlish crush or a forced, unrequited commitment. Love simply is what it is: the bond of two halves of a whole.

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A/N:

I hope you liked this chapter, it was very emotional for me to write. I had to look at what love truly was. The only thing I came up with was that it was a bond--a most unbreakable one--between two people; two parts of a whole. Thank you for those who have taken the time to read and truly appreciate this story.


	5. Neji's Plea

Neji awoke from his long slumber. When he woke, he found that he was in his own bedroom. He had checked his chest where they did the operation and found a nasty scar marring his pale skin. He stood up shakily before falling back onto his bed; his legs felt weak and frail. He pulled out the one needle stuck into his hand before rolling to his side. How long had he been asleep? Was it only yesterday that he was on mission? It couldn't be.

It took him a long while to realize that Tenten was in his room. He blushed because of the fact that he wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing. He wrapped his bare essentials with the blanket that had covered him before. He felt slow and lethargic. He tried to speak, but his Adam's apple just bobbed awkwardly. It was as if he hadn't spoken in months. He was more than a little confused.

"Neji, you're awake." Tenten's voice carried his gaze to her face. She looked relieved. "You've been out for almost a month." She added.

"Te...Ten..." was all he managed.

"Don't try to talk," she told him. "I'll get you some water...and a toothbrush for that matter."

He looked at her gratefully. He was still confused as to why she was there, in his room. What did she want from him? Had she forgiven him for being an ass? Had she come to say that she loved him too? His head spun.

When she returned, with a tray of food and a tall glass of water, she sat beside him but not before she took another blanket and wrapped it around his broad shoulders. She helped him bring the glass of water to his mouth. He took a deep swig from the glass as his throat was relieved.

"How do you feel?" Tenten asked him.

"What are you doing here?" he said five times slower than usual. He found it necessary to take deep breaths in between every two words.

"I'm here to help you, isn't it obvious?"

"Why?" he returned.

"Would you rather I called Lee to help you?"

Neji profusely shook his head no.

Neji started to shiver. He felt cold. His body was too weak to even stay warm. Tenten noticed this and pulled out more blankets from a closet. She helped him back onto the bed and bundled him up in them. Moments later, Sakura came through his door. If it wasn't embarrassing having Tenten in the room while he was stark naked, it was even more so now that Sakura was there as well.

"Neji, I'm glad you're back with us." Sakura smiled. "Tenten, let's get some pants on this man and sit him up. I have to do a check up."

Neji tried to show his disapproval by clutching the blanket covering him, but, in his weakened state, he stood no match for the two women. Tenten fetched him a pair of shorts as Sakura dressed him. Being a doctor, the sassy, pink-haired medic had seen all body parts and didn't even flinch when she saw his manhood.

"There we go," she said as both she and Tenten got him onto a sitting position. "Now, Neji, I need you to raise your right arm as high as you can."

Neji thought that that was a ridiculous request until he actually attempted it. His right arm felt lead-heavy. He only managed to lift it about three inches from his side.

"Good, that went better than I thought it would." Sakura then checked his vitals to make sure that his heart rate was still normal as well as his breathing.

So far, Sakura hadn't found anything wrong that was caused by Neji's chest wound. For that, at least, she was thankful. But, she couldn't really say yet if Neji was going to fully recover. She had to get him to see Tsunade to get his chakra pathways checked. She could do it now, but she wasn't sure that Neji would be up to it.

"So, Neji, I need you to rest. You should be able to get your voice back in a couple of days." Sakura stood from her squat position. "I'll schedule you for a full examination for next week. It's just Tsunade-sama needs to check if you're going to recover fully."

Neji nodded solemnly. He knew that the injuries he had sustained were serious. It didn't take a prodigy to realize that.

Shortly after speaking with Tenten, Sakura left.

Neji stayed seated.

"Neji do you want to lie down. You should get some sleep." Tenten tried to get him to lie down on his back.

But, Neji swatted her hands away with his left arm.

"No," he said.

"Doctor's orders, you jerk!" Tenten said as she firmly eased him onto his back. She then, again, plied him with blankets to keep him warm.

Neji smiled. He loved it when she got bossy.

XXXX

Tenten took care of her teammate until he was able to talk, eat, and walk on his own. Neji had recovered quickly, but lost some of his chakra control. Tsunade said that he would still be able to stay a ninja; it's just that he would have to change how he executed his techniques so that the chakra portals that he had used before wouldn't be re-severed. It was as difficult as re-learning to do the simplest of genin-level techniques again. Neji was frustrated, angry, but knew that he had no choice. If he couldn't be a shinobi, what else could he be?

Just focusing his chakra to his hands for his gentle-fist technique took all of his focus and effort as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. At this rate, he thought, it would take years and years to regain his techniques. He felt hopeless and enraged at his situation.

Just then Tenten came rushing in holding a large basket in one hand and a blanket in the other.

"Do you want to go on a picnic, Neji?" She asked him. "It's such a nice day outside."

"No," he replied, still angry that he couldn't even control his chakra.

"I made your favourite." She explained. "Soup!"

"I have to train." he said stonily.

"You've been training since you've learned to walk again, take a break." Tenten suggested. "Tsunade-sama said that you had to rest."

"I'm not tired."

"But..."

"Just leave me alone, Tenten, I don't know what you want from me." He interrupted. "I'm not in the mood to ingest whatever disgusting food you have in there."

Tenten shocked at his callousness, left near tears. She ran home. When she entered her cramped flat, she tossed the blanket and basket into the sink with a clash and jumped, tearfully into bed.

Neji, on the other hand, regretted his words. He was already ashamed and embarrassed that Tenten of all people had to see him like this. For weeks she had to help him stand and sit and lie down. His dependency on her irritated him. He was a man, and before the fight against the Akatsuki he was able to do everything himself. His ego already took a blow from Tenten's rejection of him before the incident. Now, he felt as if he were inadequate to protect her. He felt even more unworthy to love her. And that feeling just hurt—a lot. But instead of protecting Tenten, he knew that he had hurt her too. And that guilt pained him more than his bruised self-esteem.

The next day, Tenten didn't come to see him. Same with the day after that, and the day after that. The days became weeks and then one month since he had seen her. Neji, because of his injuries, was unable to leave the observatory wing of the hospital. The cuts on his arms and legs had healed as was expected, but his mood did not. Nurses were afraid to enter his quarters lest they angered them by accident. Sakura was the only one who could put a stop to his rampages.

"Neji, I can't let you out." Sakura said sternly. "You still have two more examinations before you can go home. Your life depends on it."

"Then call Tenten, tell her to come here!"

"Tenten isn't coming here, Neji, unless she wants to."

"She has to!" He yelled, acting like a petulant child, white irises flashing in despair.

Sakura stared down the anguished man before her. His infamous Hyuuga glare had lost its intimidation. He had finally calmed somewhat, head bowed in defeat.

"Sakura," he sighed, crushed. "I need her."

The pink-haired medic nin blinked in surprise. Too shocked for words, she was unable to do much besides imitate a fish out of water.

"I'm scared I've lost her." Neji's vulnerability was not something Sakura expected on a not so special Thursday afternoon. "I just want to see her."

"Neji, I..." Sakura trailed off.

"Sakura, please, ask her to come." Neji looked at her imploringly; like a kicked puppy.

"Okay, I'll try." She said before leaving the _Twilight Zone_ she was in.

Once in her office, Sakura contacted Tenten immediately. When the other woman's voice came on the line, Sakura quickly made up a story to get the kunoichi to come running.

"Tenten," she began urgently. "Come quick, it's Neji!"

Sakura didn't even get a response from the weapons mistress, only a dial tone. Sakura smiled to herself. Her plan had worked, and she didn't even have to employ a fake story. Now, it was up to the couple to sort the rest out between themselves.

XXXX

Tenten ran to the hospital. She ran faster than she had ever before. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest. What if Neji was dying? What if something serious happened? She didn't know. Tenten rushed up the stairs to the fourth floor where Neji's room was. She dashed to his room and found nothing. The sheets were folded and the pillows fluffed. There was nothing to indicate that Neji had been there. The septic white walls of the room seemed to tell her that he was gone. Tears flooded from her eyes as she collapsed on to the ground. She cried bitterly on the disinfected floors until they were wet with tears.

"No, get out!" hollered a voice. "Call Sakura! Don't touch me with that thing!"

"Neji?" Tenten's head shot up from the floor upon recognizing the voice. "Neji?"

She speedily stood up on unsteady legs and re-started her hunt for the Hyuuga. She got as far as the other end of the hallway and found the man she was looking for. A poor nurse at his bedside was trying to administer a needle into his arm while he yelled his malice at her.

Tenten came upon them without them noticing her approach.

"Miss Nurse, if he doesn't cooperate, I'll be willing to knock him out for a bit." Tenten quipped raising a fist.

Neji, caught out of sorts with her sudden appearance took a moment to stare at Tenten.

"There, Neji-san, all done. That wasn't so bad, now was it?" The nurse said, implying the shot. "I'll come back tomorrow before your final examination, then." She added before leaving.

Neji was so shocked to see Tenten that he didn't even feel the needle pierce his arm.

"Tenten," he said breathlessly. "You're here."

"Yeah, so what of it?"

"But, why?"

"I came because Sakura called. She started to say something on the phone and it sounded urgent. But, I guess she just wanted to complain about your attitude towards the nurses."

Neji awkwardly nodded to the statement. Now that Tenten was here, he didn't know what to do.

"What I said about your cooking, I didn't mean it." He said slowly.

"I know about the soup, Neji," Tenten smiled. "After you said that, I tried some. I nearly threw up after the first spoonful. I was wondering why you'd ingest that much toxic waste."

"For you," he answered. She beamed.

"Well, you're looking better."

"Why didn't you visit me?" He demanded, unable to keep the jealousy out of his voice.

"I went on a mission." She replied. "I had to pay my rent somehow. And I was out of work for a while because I was here all the time, remember?"

"Tenten," Neji looked over the female. "Please stay."

"Why should I?" she questioned.

"Because I..."

"It's because he needs you, worships you, and loves you with the passionate flames of a thousand suns." Sakura interjected from the doorway. "I read that in a trashy romance novel, I think, or maybe it's what Gai told Lee to say to me once."

Neji and Tenten felt awkwardness fall over the room.

"I told you I liked meddling in other people's love lives." Sakura shrugged off their shocked looks. "I'm here for Neji's examination."

Sakura brought her stethoscope to her ears and brought its extension to Neji's chest. His heart pulsed normally. She then placed the circular part of the instrument on his back. She then told him to breathe in and out slowly. He did as he was told, and Sakura found that there was nothing wrong with his lungs and bronchial tubes. After a multitude of other standard tests, the only thing left to check was Neji's chakra systems. She then focused her chakra to her hands until it glowed green. She traced many pathways on his back, chest, arms and legs and found none to be damaged. There was no internal bleeding or broken bones either.

Once satisfied with her analysis, Sakura smiled and left the couple alone.

"Neji..." Tenten finally broke the silence.

"She's right you know," He said sheepishly. "About the flaming sun and all. It's true—it's always been true. It just took me a while to finally get it."

"I got that." Tenten nodded sagely. "But what changed? What made you see me differently?"

"Do you remember the day when you beat me, sparring?" Neji waited for Tenten to say yes. "That's when I suddenly became conscious of that fact that you were a woman."

"Oh, so you're saying that up until then, you thought that I was a man?" Tenten placed her hands at her hips, a bad sign for all male-kind.

"No, it's not that!" Neji quibbled. "I realized that you grew up into a woman."

Tenten eyed him suspiciously, telling him that what he said was not a good enough reason.

"What I mean is that we both grew up, and I realize that I've been so blind and stupid to notice you before. I regretted the time I've wasted. The time you've wasted on me." Neji explained. "Does that answer the question?"

Tenten's scowl dispersed into a taunting smirk.

"So, what you're saying is that unlike any other man, you didn't notice my..." she pointed at her breasts.

"Or my..." she turned and pointed to her butt.

"Or my..." she turned back and kissed him fully on the lips.

"No," Neji was reluctant to break away. He then spoke affronted. "I certainly did not! I would never disrespect you by thinking about you that way!"

"You're such a bad liar, Hyuuga Neji." Tenten sat on the bed with him, "An awful liar."

"Tenten, I love..." Neji started. Tenten's breath caught in her throat. She had been waiting years for him to say those words to her. "...your breasts, your butt, and your lips."

Tenten raised her fist to punch him in the face.

"Wait, let me finish!" Neji all but shouted. "But, what I love even more is you."

Tenten never really thought about how she would feel when she heard those words from him. She never realized what overwhelming emotions it could cause in her. Tears welled in her eyes before rushing down her cheeks. Worried and concerned, Neji asked her why she was crying.

"I never thought I'd hear those words." She told him "I didn't think that I would."

"If you want, I can say them every day."

"Would you shout them from the rooftops like Lee and Naruto?" Tenten asked, testing his response.

"If you really want me to." Neji swallowed uncomfortably. "But, wouldn't that be disturbing the peace?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Tenten agreed, a little disappointed.

"But, if we're married, I don't think I'd mind too much if I go to jail for that." Neji smirked. "I'll do it if you do it."

"Deal."

There was a long pause where Tenten thought that Neji had fallen asleep in his weakened state. She could hear his soft breathing, she looked up to see if he was, in fact, asleep. But he wasn't.

"So, what should we name our son?" Neji murmured suddenly.

"Aren't you thinking a little too far ahead?" Tenten returned bemused.

"No, because, if we get married tomorrow, we'll have plenty of time to, you know, make him." Neji summed up.

"We can't get married yet?" Tenten said, amused at Neji's antics. "We haven't even dated, or have gotten engaged."

"Wouldn't it save money if we bypassed all that?"

"Yeah, but it wouldn't be romantic." She argued. "Besides, you're not fully recovered yet."

"I'll recover." Neji brushed it off. "What's a few severed veins compared to seeing you married to another man? I won't let anyone else have you. You belonged to me since our first practice together."

"No, you're wrong." Tenten played with the ends of his hair. "You belonged to me when you were born. Time and fate has brought us together. It's impossible to go against destiny, Neji. Believe me, I've tried and failed."

"That sounds like a better story to tell our children."

"How did it go from having one son to having _'children'_—as in pleural?"

Neji kissed her then and pulled her close. "I was planning on having lots and lots of children."

Tenten grinned and snuggled closer to the man she loved. Neji wasn't a little too late, he wasn't too early either. He was right on time.

"Me too."

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A/N:

This is the end of_ A Little too Late_. I appologize for the lengthy wait. I hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it. I would like to thank all of those who reviewed.


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